SAQA

All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.

SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Master of Arts: General Studies

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
2709	Master of Arts: General Studies
ORIGINATOR
University of Natal
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's Degree	Field 07 - Human and Social Studies		General Social Science
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	128	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 2663/05	2006-07-01	2009-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2010-06-30		2013-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This qualification is replaced by:

Qual ID	Qualification Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Min Credits	Replacement Status
81249	Master of Arts: General Studies	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	128	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

The BA (General Studies) is a general programme in the Humanities, which aims to equip students with the following abilities:

To be critically and socially literate

To be generators of social knowledge, and be active and comfortable life-long learners

It does so by providing learners with a broad foundation in the Human sciences. This general orientation does not, however, preclude vocational preparation.

The Postgraduate Qualification in this programme (BA (Hons), MA, PhD) continue to develop the generic abilities outlined above, though in each case with a more specialized knowledge of the discipline in which the degree has been taken and, consequently, a more specialised set of abilities which will equip the student for higher levels of employment in relevant areas.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Matriculation exemption with 30+ matric points or Dean's discretion and/or Senate exemption from matriculation requirements.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Critically and socially literate. This means they should be proficient in analysing the cultural texts they are likely to find in their environment.

Situating current public issues and problems in an historical and cultural context

Cultivating social empathy and community awareness

Evaluating cultural text both appreciatively and critically

Generators of social knowledge. This means they should have developed skills in:

Gathering relevant information

Researching, analysing and assembling both empirical and conceptual data

Both logical and lateral thinking, with a capacity to be sceptical of received wisdom and opinion

Generating coherent, well-informed and well-written texts

Active and skilled lifelong learners

This means they should have the capacity to:

Set learning goals for themselves

Adapt successfully to a wide range of careers and work situations

Engage successfully with vocational requirements as they develop throughout their working life

To enjoy a rich quality of life.

The Postgraduate Qualifications in this programme (BA (Hons), MA, PhD) demand that students show facility in all the generic abilities outlined above, though in each case there will be additional discipline specific knowledge and capabilities which will, consequently, allow for more specialised employment.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Evidence of critical insight into culture

An in depth and critical understanding of the key concepts in their disciplinary and vocational areas of interest

The ability to compare, contrast and critique key readings in their various courses

The ability to read, understand and analyse text

The ability to produce extended and coherent academic discourse in the form of academic essays and other texts

The ability to collect data for small-scale research projects and to collate and analyse it and to produce reports

The ability to formulate ongoing learning goals for themselves and strategies to achieve them

In addition to the above capabilities, postgraduate students should demonstrate:

Greater insight and understanding of culture

Greater knowledge of the discipline in which they have specialised

Research capability

Integrated Assessment

Modules within the programme are independently assessed in both formative ways (through class work, tests, essays, other written work and, where appropriate, practical exercises) and summative ways (written, oral and practical examinations). In some cases, journals, oral presentations and portfolios of work provide additional forms of assessment.

In the undergraduate programme, final assessment will be done in two ways:

The overall tabulation of the results obtained during the programme will show that the candidate has achieved the required outcome competencies of the programme. A refined portfolio, which the student will assemble during the last two semesters of study and present at the end of their studies. This portfolio will be designed to assess students' competence across a range of relevant tasks and will include both further exploration of related issues and critical reflection on the educational programme in which they have participated.

In the case of the postgraduate programme the substantial research component constitutes a summative test of the candidate's capabilities in the discipline concerned.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This programme articulates with the other entire BA and BSocSci programmes and, depending on subject concentrations candidates can move from this programme to any other BA or some of the BSocSci programmes.

Numerous modules are cross-listed with BA and BsocSci programmes (See integrated list of modules).

Exit points are at BA level, BAHons level, MA level and PhD level

Accelerated progress is open to students with ability who can register for more than the minimum 4 modules per semester.

MODERATION OPTIONS

All modules are internally discussed and all examinations internally moderated. All exit-level modules are externally moderated. Programmes are externally moderated by academics from other universities. All postgraduate work is externally moderated and / or examined. MA and PhD theses are externally examined and, in the case of the latter, an academic from a university outside South Africa will be one of the three examines.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Until the HEQC establishes a registration system for assessors in the HET Band, the University of Natal assumes that, on the basis of its rigorous selection criteria for the appointment of academic staff (who also have opportunities for staff development in assessment), staffs are competent to assess students on the modules they teach. This assessment is quality assured via a university system of internal moderation and external examination. External examiners are appointed for their teaching and disciplinary expertise and subject to the approval of Faculty Boards. The University of Natal ruling is that 66 % of all assessments at exit level, i.e. leading to a qualification, are externally examined.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006.

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.

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PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

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